The present invention relates to a telephone set automatic incoming-call acknowledgement detection, and more particularly, to a telephone set which enables a calling party to identify whether or not a receiving party has output a call acknowledgement.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional telephone set. In FIG. 3, a base station 60 is a radio station for establishing connection among a plurality of telephone sets over a radio channel. A telephone set 50 is connected to the base station 60 over a radio channel and has an audio output section 48 for outputting a busy signal or a voice signal received from a receiving party, and a receiver section 45.
The operation of an existing telephone set will now be described. A call is made to or received from another telephone set by way of the base station 60 connected to the telephone set 50 over a radio channel. For example, the telephone set 50 connected to the base station 60 by way of a radio channel originates a call, and another telephone set connected to the telephone set 50 over the radio channel receives the call. At this time, the audio output section 48 and the receiver 45 of the telephone set 50 output a ring-back tone signal. If the telephone set of the receiving party outputs a call acknowledgement, an audio signal is output from the audio output section 48 and the receiver 45 of the telephone set of the calling party. If a telephone call is in progress in the telephone set of the receiving party or if the telephone set of the receiving party is unconnected, a busy tone signal is output from the audio output section 48 and the receiver 45 of the telephone set 50. The telephone set 50 cannot establish a call, and at a later time a call originating operation is performed again manually.
In a conventional telephone set, if the telephone set of the receiving party does not output a call acknowledgement, the calling party must perform a call originating operation once again at a alter time. Further, checking of a call acknowledgement from the receiving party requires the calling party to determine whether or not a call acknowledgement is received from the receiving party, by way of verbal communication.
The present invention solves such a problem in the conventional telephone set, and the object of the present invention is to provide a telephone set which relievers the calling party of the burden of having to repeatedly perform a call originating operation by readily and reliably reporting to the calling party whether or not the receiving party has output a call acknowledgement, by means of an audio output or a screen display on the telephone set of the calling party, and which enables immediate establishment of a call after the call acknowledgement from the receiving party has been checked. Therefore, the telephone set of the present invention has superior operability and convenience.
To achieve the foregoing object, the present invention provides a telephone set comprising: a transmit/receive section which sends a transmission signal and receives a signal from a base station; a call acknowledgement detection section for detecting a call acknowledgement signal output from the transmit/receive section; and means for displaying a call acknowledgement which enables the calling party to identify whether or not the receiving party has output a call acknowledgement.
The telephone set further comprises a transmit/receive section, a call acknowledgement detection section, an automatic call originating section which automatically originates a call after lapse of a specified period of time if no call acknowledgement from the receiving party is detected, and call acknowledgement display means.
A cordless telephone set comprises a transmit/receive section, a call acknowledgement detection section, an automatic call originating section which automatically originates a call after lapse of a specified period of time if no call acknowledgement from the receiving party is detected, and call acknowledgement display means.
The telephone set comprises audio output display means serving as call acknowledgement display means. When the call acknowledgement detection means detects a call acknowledgement signal output from the receiving party, a specific call acknowledgement sound signal is output. In contrast, if the call acknowledgement signal output from the receiving party is not detected, a sound signal different from the specific call acknowledgement sound signal is output.
In the telephone set, when the call acknowledgement detection section detects a call acknowledgement, the call acknowledgement is indicated in a specific screen color. In contrast, when the receiving party does not output a call acknowledgement, lack of a call acknowledgement from the receiving party is indicated in a screen color different from the specific screen color.
For example, in a case where a call is made from the telephone set of the calling party to the telephone set of the receiving party through specific operations, and where the telephone set of the receiving party does not output a call acknowledgement, the telephone set of the calling party reports to the calling party lack of a call acknowledgement from the receiving party by outputting a specific sound signal or by means of a screen display. The call originating operation is performed again by automatic call origination after lapse of a specific period of time. If a call acknowledgement from the receiving party is detected, the telephone set of the calling party reports to the calling party the call acknowledgement from the receiving party by outputting a specific sound signal or by way of a screen display.
With the foregoing configuration, the telephone set of the calling party enables checking as to whether or not the receiving party has output a call acknowledgement, by way of a specific signal output or a display. If no call acknowledgement from the receiving party is detected, a call originating operation can be performed again after lapse of a specific period of time through automatic call origination. As a result, the calling party is relieved of the burden of having to repeatedly perform call originating operations. Further, the calling party is notified of whether or not the calling party has output a call acknowledgement, by means of a specific sound signal output or a screen display. Thus, the calling party is readily and reliably informed of the call acknowledgement from the receiving party, thus enabling establishment of a call.
According to first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a telephone set equipped with automatic call acknowledgement detection means which is connected to a base station over a radio channel, the set comprising: a transmit/receive section for sending and receiving a signal to and from the base station; and a call acknowledgement detection section which identifies whether or not a receiving party has responded to the call by detection of a call acknowledgement signal from the receiving party. The telephone set identifies whether or not the receiving party has received the call by detection of a call acknowledgement signal from the calling party.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the telephone set as defined in the first aspect, further comprises: an automatic call origination section which automatically re-originates the call after lapse of a predetermined period of time if the call acknowledgement detection section does not detect any call acknowledgement from the receiving party; and call acknowledgement display means which displays whether or not the call acknowledgement detection section has detected the call acknowledgement from the receiving party. The telephone set indicates whether or not a call acknowledgement signal from the receiving party has been detected. If no call acknowledgement signal from the receiving party is detected, the call is automatically made again.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a telephone set which is equipped with automatic call acknowledgement detection means and includes a master telephone set housing a station circuit and a cordless telephone, wherein the cordless telephone comprises a transmit/receive section for sending and receiving a signal to and from the master telephone set; a call acknowledgement detection section for determining whether or not a receiving party has responded to the call, by detecting a call acknowledgement signal from the transmit/receive section; an automatic call origination section which automatically originates a call after lapse of a predetermined period of time if no call acknowledgement from the receiving party is detected; and call acknowledgement display means for displaying whether or not the call acknowledgement detection section has detected a call acknowledgement from the receiving party. The cordless telephone set detects a call acknowledgement and performs automatic re-origination of the call and indication of call acknowledgement.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the telephone set as defined in the second or third aspect is further characterized by that the call acknowledgement display means comprises audio output means which outputs a predetermined call acknowledgement sound signal when the call acknowledgement detection means detects the call acknowledgement signal from the receiving party and which outputs a sound different from the predetermined call acknowledgement sound when the call acknowledgement signal is not detected. The telephone set reports to the caller the lack or receipt of a call acknowledgement using different call acknowledgement sound signals.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the telephone set as defined in the second or third aspect is further characterized by that the call acknowledgement display means comprises screen display means which indicates a predetermined screen color when the call acknowledgement detection section detects the call acknowledgement signal and which indicates a screen color different from the predetermined screen color when no call acknowledgement signal from the receiving party is detected. The telephone set indicates lack or receipt of call acknowledgement using different screen colors.